from Mike Chambers of the Denver Post,

The spirited Avalanche practice Saturday was overdue. Colorado hadn't practiced since Monday's morning skate at San Jose and didn't touch the ice for three days after that shootout loss to the Sharks.

Which helps explains why the Avs came off the NHL's mandatory Christmas break and laid an egg Friday at Chicago, losing to the defending Stanley Cup champion 7-2. The Blackhawks had a morning skate and sweated out the holiday cheer at the United Center as the Avs were traveling and guzzling coffee....

"I'm not going to use that as a reason why we lost," Roy said about the Avs not having a morning skate in Chicago. "(But) it's unacceptable that we have to lose an hour to go to Chicago. ... How can you give a good show? No matter what, we were in a bad spot. We've done it in the past, but why (didn't) Chicago come here?

"I don't know who's working for the league for the schedule, but they need to understand that (when) Denver goes to Chicago, you're losing an hour (and) if you want to play at night you have to be up at 4 or 5 in the morning to get to the airport ... to have a good morning skate. It's nonsense."

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